Pakistani Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani has said that Pakistan-US ties are much stable and on firm footing and the two countries are also working to increase cooperation between their universities.
He was speaking at the second Convention of Pakistani-American Community hosted by Pakistani embassy on Saturday. A large number of leading Pakistani-American community leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, representatives of Pakistani community organizations, political activists, members of civil society and academicians from across the United States participated in the Convention.
As a part of his outreach efforts, the Convention was hosted by Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani to deepen Embassy’ collaboration with the growing Pakistani diaspora in the United States. It was part of Embassy’s public diplomacy to engage the Pakistani American community. The Consuls General of Pakistan in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston were also present in the Convention.
Ambassador Jilani gave an overview of the Pak-US relations which he said would get a further boost by the upcoming visit by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif later this month.
He said ties with the United States were now on much stable and firm footing compared to 2013 and on that with more convergence on regional stability, economic integration and mutual desire to expand people to people contacts.
Ambassador Jilani emphasized the importance the Government of Pakistan attached to the welfare of overseas Pakistanis. He also highlighted the community’s role in strengthening the Pak-U.S. bilateral relations. He briefed the Convention on the positive developments taking place in Pakistan in economy and counter-terrorism and the Prime Minister’s vision of peaceful neighborhood. Ambassador Jilani expressed hope that the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to USA in October, 2015 would help take the Pak-U.S. relationship to a higher level.
The participants discussed various aspects of Pakistan’s economy, trade, security situation, foreign policy, and the role of Pakistani community the socio-economic development of the country.
Senior officials from the State Department, United States Trade Representatives and USAID also spoke in the Convention and briefed the participants on the importance the U.S. Government attached to its relationship with Pakistan and the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Congresswoman Shiela Jackson Lee, the Chairperson of Pakistani Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives in her message appreciated the positive contributions of the Pakistani-American diaspora in the United States in all walks of life.
The participants of the Convention profoundly appreciated the initiative of the Embassy in organizing the nation-wide Convention, which offered an effective platform to both the Embassy and the community to deliberate on the issues of mutual interest.